gormley



Patented Dec. 9,191&

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F. L. GORMLEY.

LIF'HNG JACK.

AFPLICATION HLED JULY 23.1919.

'F., L. GORMLEY.

LIFTING JACK.

AFFLICATION FILEDVJULVZSLIQIQ.

- Patenta& Dec. 9,

a 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. Ezgi&

ing the 'jack Operating shaft i UNITED STAT 4 FEMER FRANK L. GORMLEY, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO A. O. NORTON, ING., OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION.

LIFTING-JACK.

Application filed July 23, 1919. Serial No. :312,818.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. GORMLEY, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Brookline, county of Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lifting-Jacks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lifting jacks and particularly to devices of this character designed for heavy work, the object of the present invention being the provision of means whereby the lowering of the movable member under great loads may be either automatically or manually controlled.

The present invention consists in providwith a gear meshing -with a pinion having -a worm gear revoluble therewith, said worm gear coacting with a worm provided with an automatic governor at one end and a manually controlled brake mechanism on its opposite end, all of said devices being nounted upon the cover plate and removable therewith.

The invention further consists of`certain novel features of Construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims to be hereinafter given.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention,-one preferred form thereof is illus- 'trated in the drawings, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be Variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise -arrangement and organization of these instrunentalities as herein shown and described, except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 represents a horizontal section of a lifting jack embodyng the features of the present invention, the cutting plane'being on line 1, 1, on Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 represents a Vertical section of the same on line 2, 2, on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents an elevation of the cover plate with the various actuating devices secured thereto, the Operating shaft being cut in section.

Fig. 4 represents a horizontal section of the same on line 4, 4, on Fig. 3.

` Specifieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 9, 1010,

F ig. 5 represents a vertical section on line 5, 5, on Fig.- 4 showing the governor or speed retarding fnechanism.

Fig. 6 represents an elevation of thesame with a portion thereof broken away Fig. 10 represents an elevation of device,

for controlling the action of the brake mechanisn.

Similar characters indicate like parts 'throughout the several figures of the drawing.

In the drawings, 10 represents a suitable base supporting a stationary standard ll over the outer periphery of which is fitted a movable sleeve 12, which is threaded a cap` 13.

In the upper end of the standard 11 is mounted a nut 14 to which is threaded a lifting screw 15 having splined to its upper reduced end a bevel gear 16 with which meshes a bevel gear 17 formed upon or Secured to a revoluble shaft or spindle 18, the outer end of which is provided with a suitable operating mechanism 19 of any well known construction.

Between the upper face of the bevel gear 16 and the inner face of the cap 13 are two annular plates 20, 21, between which are interposed a plurality of anti-friction members 22.

The movable member 12 is provided on one side with a fianged projection 24 having a removable plate 25 Secured thereto by bolts 25&`

The plate 25 is provided with a bearing 26 for the spindle or shaft 18 and Secured to 'the hub of the gear 17 is a ratchet wheel 27.

The hearing 26 extends through a cylindrical boss 28 on the inner face of the plate 25 and on this boss 28 is loosely mounted the gear wheel 29 having Secured to one face thereof a plurality of pawls 30 coacting with said ratchet wheel 27.

The gear 29 is provided with a plurality of projections 31 to the outer ends of which and showing the manually controlled brake.

to the upper end of is Secured a ring 32 between which and said gear the pawls 30 are positioned.

From the back of the free end of each pawl 30 extends a lug 33 on which s d1sposed a helical spring 34 the outer end of which bears against one of the pro ectons 31 and retains said pawls 30 in engagement with said ratchet wheel 27 under normal conditions. p z V Beneath the gear wheel' 29 `is a revoluble shaft 35 having secured thereto a pinion 36 meshing with said gear 29 and driven thereby when the movable member 12 of the jack' is being lowered.

The shaft 35 hasalso secured there'to a worm wheel 37 which meshes with a `worm 38 revoluble in bearings 39 in thebracket 40 secured to the inner face of the removable plate 25 by screws 40%. I To the 'reduced end 41of the worm 38 is secured a brake disk 42 with the periphery of which coacts two brake members 43 pivoted at 44 to the bracket 40.

The lower end of each brake member 43 p is provided with a recess 45 in which is positioned one end of a helical spring 46 the oppsite ends of said springs being disposed in the recesses 47 and 48 in the removable plate 25 and bracket 40. v

Between the lower adjacent ends of the brake members 43 is positioned a flat sided I projection 49 formed upon the actuating lever 50.

A portion of the flat sided projection 49 is cylindrical and positioned in a cylindrical hole in the flange of the removable plate 25. I

The springs 46 normally retain the brake members in' contact with the periphery of the disk 42 and prevent its rotation .until the actuating lever 50 is moved to cause said fiat sided projection 49 to separate said brake members 43 and remove them from contact with the disk 42.

The worm 38 is provided at'its opposite end with a reduced end 51 to which is 'secured a disk 52 having diametral slots 53 formed in its inner face in each of which Slots 53 is disposed the ribs53 of a slidable member 54 the outer end of which has a broad hearing flange 55 the outer face .of

'which is curved to fit the cylindrical wall.

56 of a chamber formed in the bracket 40.

The inner face 57 of the flange 55 is flat and perpendicular to the radial slot 53 and forms a bearing surface for thevcam projection 58, of the lever 60 pivoted at 61 and provided on its free end with the weight 62. Each rib 53 is provided with an open ended groove 63 into the outer end of which extends a projection 64 on the disk 52.

Between the end wall of the groove 63 and said projection 64 is disposed a helical spring 65 which normally retains the bearing fiange 55 free from contact with the the end of the worm 38 and 'between the Washer .74 and thecup shaped member 72 are a plu rality of anti-friction members 75 adapted to take care of the end thrust of the worm 38 during the lowering of the jack.

The pitchof the worm 38 is such that during the rotation of the worm gear 37 rotary 'movement will be imparted to the shaft 71 and the disks 42, 52. u l

When' the brake members 43 are removed from the brake disk 42, the jack'is free to lower under its load.. v

Should the ja`ck under an excessive load rotate the worm 38 at too great a speed for safety; the weights 62 will move outwardly about the pivots 61 and cause theslidable members 57 ,to impinge upon the cylindrical wall 56 of the housing 73, thereby retarding v the speed of the worm shaft 71` to which the governor disk 52 is Secured. As soon as the speed of the shaft 71 has been retarded sufliciently to reach a normal speed the springs 65 will disenga'ge the friction members 55 from the housing wall 56.

`When pressure is released from the aetuating lever 50, the springs 46 will force the brake members 43 into contact with the periphery of the disk 42 and prevent further 'lowering of the jack.

When it is desired tora'ise the movable .member 1-2, the Operating mechanis m- 19 is manipulated to turn the spindle 18 and gear 17 formed thereon in the direction of the arrow a on Fi 3 of the drawings.

When this s done the ratchet 27 will freely pass the pawls 30 without actuating the spur gear 29. i y

While lifting the load the 'Operating mech anism will act directly upon the movable member 12 through the gears 17 and 16 and screw 15 without affecting the speed retarding and brakng devices.

When the weight has been lifted suffi' ciently, it will be retained in its elevated I position by means of the friction members 43 coacting with the brake disk 42 and preventing the rotation of the worm 38.

When 'it is desired to lower the load su ported by the movable member 12, the frietion members 43 are removed from contact with the disk or wheel 42 by pressing upon the arm or lever 50 and with the pawls 30 in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 27, the gear 29, pinion 36, worm wheel 37 and worm 38 will be driven by the rotation of the gear 17 and its spindle 18.

The pitch of the worm thread is such as to permit the jack to start automatically to descend under its own load when its brake is released.

Should an excessive load be upon the cap 13 so that member 12 moves downwardly too rapidly, its movement will be arrested by the action of the governor.

If it is desired to entirely stop the lowering of the load, pressure is removed from the actuating lever 50 and the brake members 43 will be forced into contact with the disk 4:2.

The multiplication of the braking power through the high ratio gearing and through the worm and worm wheel will serve to make possible the quick and easy stoppage by a light pressure of-the brake, of the descending jack at any point. a

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of the invention will be readily understood without furthe` description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: a

1. In a lifting jack, the combination of a revoluble Operating shaft; a ratchet wheel revoluble therewith; a gear; pawls on said gear adapted 'to coact 'with said ratchet wheel to rotate said gear during the lowering of the load; a pinion meshing with said gear; aworm wheel in axial alinement with said pinion and revoluble thereby; a worm meshing with said worm wheel; a fixed .housing having a cylindrical chamber in axial alinement with said worm; a speed controlling mechanism 'for said worm, revoluble by said worm and positioned in said chamber and a removable bracket on which said pinion, worm wheel, worm, fixed housing of the load; a pinion meshing with said gear; a worm wheel in axial alinement revoluble with said pinion and revoluble thereby; a worm meshing with said worm wheel; governor mechanism for controlling the speed of rotation of said worm; a brake disk rotata-ble with said worm; brake members' coacting with said disk; and a removable bracket on which said pinion, worm wheel, worm, governor mechanism, brake disk, and brake members are all supported.

3. In a lifting jack, the combination of a revoluble Operating shaft; a ratchet wheel revoluble therewith; a gear; pawls on said gear adapted to coact with said ratchet wheel to rotate said gear during the lowering of the load; a pinion meshing with said gear; a worm wheel revoluble with said pinion; a worm meshing with said worm wheel; governor mechanism for v controlling the speed of rotation of said worm; a brake disk rotatable With said worm; brake members coacting with said disk; a vertically movable member having a lateral rectangular flange; a closing member for said rectangular flange having a bear-ing for said Operating shaft; and a bracket Secured to the inner face of said closing member and supporting said pinion, worm wheel, worm, governor mechanism, brake' disk; and brake members.

Signed by me at i Post Oflice Square, Boston, Mass., this 21st day of July, 1919.

FRANK L. GORMLEY.

Witnesses i EDWARD F. ALLEN, WALTER E. LOMBARD. 

